Jeff Eggleston: I think there’s a cultural problem in the U.S. Too much reverence for 2:10 and not enough drive for 2:07

This might be true except for the fact that there are exactly two Americans who have even run under 2:10 in the last two years. One of them is perhaps the most successful distance runner of his generation and the other will be 41 years old by the Rio trials. Reverence for 2:07? How about getting some guys who can actually run 2:10 first?

It's time to pay pacers according to how close to the assigned pace they run.

fdsfdsafsd wrote:

This might be true except for the fact that there are exactly two Americans who have even run under 2:10 in the last two years. One of them is perhaps the most successful distance runner of his generation and the other will be 41 years old by the Rio trials. Reverence for 2:07? How about getting some guys who can actually run 2:10 first?

Uh, yeah, that's kind of exactly what he was saying. Except for the last sentence, which is kind of exactly the attitude he was talking about.

fdsfdsafsd wrote:

How about getting some guys who can actually run 2:10 first?

But that's kind of the problem. If you want to be world class you should have a world class target.

Places like the US (and many others) have given up the idea that they can compete with the best. But you don't have to be African to put in world class performance. Paula proved that. Ryan Hall ran 2:06 in London a few years ago. If he could do it then why can no American do it now?

(And before anyone says Paula was doping - then so what? *If* she was then she's surely not the only one - so it doesn't answer the question.)

What's in the marathon for most Americans?

It used to be that the marathon was where the less talented runners could try busting their a$$es to see if they could have success that they'd never be able to sniff on the track. But now the marathon is dominated by A-list track talent from Africa.

The flip side is that the track is now less competitive than it's been in a long time. The best American track athletes are taking advantage of this lack of depth, and they're now among the best in the world.

Fast American track athletes can make a living without big marathon prize money and appearance fees, because shoe companies are willing to sponsor them. But only the best Africans make much money from the shoe companies, so prize money is the name of the game.

Moreover, though it's slightly controversial, I'd say that Americans are more motivated by glory and Africans by money, simply because there are a lot of other ways in America to have a comfortable, middle class life. If that's the case, then it makes sense for Americans to stick to the track where they can be among the best in the world, rather than to hit the roads and face 100s of faster Africans.

I believe coaching marathon is easier than coaching short distances. American distance runners should take advantage of any advantages they have. I doubt runners like Symmonds and Rupp would have become anyway near that good if they trained with Africans.

LetsRun.com wrote:

I think there’s a cultural problem in the U.S. and elsewhere. Too much reverence for 2:10 and not enough drive for 2:07 or 2:08. People think that 2:10 means you’ve arrived.

Yeah, I find this hilarious. I was the one who so adamantly went back and forth on this site with Kyle O'Brien (when he was already gone from the Hansons) about running 2:10...and where were you then Letsrun.com. I even got an email, big surprise.

He argued about being a 2:14 marathoner and how hard he was working his a** off when the bottom line is even if he improved to be 2:11ish marathoner, where would that get him? Personal best, yes. Great accomplishment, yes. Faster than me, you betcha, but that's not the point.

Yeah, I'm not Eggleston, so it means nothing coming from me, right? Get down to at least 2:08, minimum, or you're in no man's land, going nowhere. If Sell had run 2:07, he probably would have been around a lot longer and no I'm not dissing Brian Sell, the guy got everything out of his body and ability that he could.

Now here come the LetsRun know-it-alls. Have fun because I won't be responding or reading to your dribble.

in t&f even pacers are cheats wrote:

It's time to pay pacers according to how close to the assigned pace they run.

+1

I don't think anybody who is fast enough to run 2:10 just gets there and then decides they don't need to get any faster.

Voice of Reasoning wrote:

I won't be responding or reading to your dribble.

Drivel. The word you're looking for is drivel.

the word you're looking for wrote:

Voice of Reasoning wrote:

I won't be responding or reading to your dribble.

Drivel. The word you're looking for is drivel.

Are you sure he wasn´t talking about soccer?

800 dude wrote:

The flip side is that the track is now less competitive than it's been in a long time. The best American track athletes are taking advantage of this lack of depth, and they're now among the best in the world. It makes sense for Americans to stick to the track where they can be among the best in the world, rather than to hit the roads and face 100s of faster Africans.

So you're saying that the best Americans make a career out of dodging the best competition and going to weaker events where they can thrive?

I believe he's saying that there's no incentive for the best Americans to leave the track.

Americans are quite happy being the fastest American. Plus, Americans think 5 min/miles is fast. East Africans think 3 min/km is fast.

you can't run a fast marathon without a fast 10k.

ritz and hall have been hurt on and off.

and the other guy meb does not run on fast courses.

so what's left, 210 marathoners.

DUH.

what is the incentive to run hard, consistently, for years upon years for the chance to MAYBE be good? there is no incentive. americans simply have incentive to do things other than running.

Voice of Reasoning wrote:

I won't be responding or reading to your dribble right, dribble left, and GOOOOOOAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!.

bro science wrote:

what is the incentive to run hard, consistently, for years upon years for the chance to MAYBE be good? there is no incentive. americans simply have incentive to do things other than running.

MAYBE make the Olympics is enough incentive for me

Money. and promotion.

Pay the runners more for wins and sponsorship.